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Is Violence Normal?

The Reith Lectures

Shownote

In her 2024 Reith Lectures, Dr Gwen Adshead, addresses four questions that she has most commonly faced in her work as a therapist with violent perpetrators in secure psychiatric units and prisons: Is Violence normal? What is the relationship between traum...

Highlights

Dr. Gwen Adshead, a forensic psychiatrist with nearly four decades of experience, delves into the intricate nature of violence in her Reith Lectures. Drawing from her work within secure psychiatric units and prisons, she explores whether violence is an inherent part of human nature or if it arises from specific circumstances. Through real-life stories and data, she examines the factors that lead individuals to commit violent acts and discusses potential solutions to reduce violence in society.
07:31
Just because violence may be in our nature doesn't mean it's normal.
11:59
Assumptions about violence being committed by 'monsters' are wrong.
25:07
Violent individuals are not mindless monsters but people struggling with normal human emotions.
44:14
Shame processed through restorative justice inspires campaigns against one-punch killings.
51:04
Steve Gallant emphasizes the need to consider brain structure and diet in understanding violence.

Chapters

Is Violence an Inevitable Part of Human Nature?
00:00
Why Do We Oversimplify the Causes of Violence?
11:59
Can Violent Individuals Be More Than Just 'Monsters'?
25:07
How Does Restorative Justice Change Lives?
40:42
What Role Do Evidence-Based Interventions Play in Preventing Violence?
47:42

Transcript

Dr. Gwen Adshead: BBC Sounds. Music, radio, podcasts. Hello, I'm Dr. Gwen Adshead. And in my BBC Radio 4. Reith Lectures, I'll be considering the four questions about violence that I've most been asked about in my 30-year career as a forensic psychiatrist....